Yes, We Are Back to Them Again....



Okay, I've accepted that many of the people within my circle of friends do NOT enjoy these men as much as I do...still quite unfathomable in my eyes, but I've done my diva duty the best that I could. I have converted a handful of Divo-virgins at work...and while they have admitted to never ever hearing of Il Divo before (*shock!*), they are glad to know them now.

Il Divo, who is currently on tour with legendary Barbra Streisand, will be back in the Bay Area tomorrow night. They are on the last leg of their tour with only two more concerts to go in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. There will be thousands of Streisand fans flocking to the HP Pavillion in San Jose to hear Babs do her thang, but I'm not interested in that. I'm interested in the Il Divo Divas who will be coming out there showing their support and appreciation for these guys.

Newspaper and online articles mistakenly refer to them as the "operatic boy band." There is nothing BOY about them! They are M-E-N, for God's sake! Sexy, divine, gorgeous, cute...talented, intelligent, charming, suave, did I say SEXY, sweet, and deliciously appreciative of their fans. It may seem that women of all ages are going ga-ga over them and to them I say, "Well, how can you NOT?!"

Their newest album, "Siempre," hits stores on November 21st. If the other cds didn't float your boat, if you weren't feelin' the vibe (how could you not?!), and if opera crossover is not your thang, just do me a favor. Give it a try! I kid you not, I wouldn't be out here recommending something to ya'll if it sounded like crap.

Maybe I'm a bit crazed over these guys...maybe I should change out the cds in my car and listen to something else...but why should I? Every single time I hear their voices, it speaks to me and touches me deeply. I might've mentioned this before, but when I was younger, I couldn't quite understand what the big deal was over opera. I couldn't understand it because it was in a different language and in my opinion, the truly operatic voices did nothing for me.

Perhaps it's because I'm a bit older now. I have a deeper appreciation for different genres of music. Understanding WHAT is being sung comes second to HOW the actual music and melody makes me feel. And Il Divo does something to me...in me.

They make me believe in love again. Their voices make me melt and I can't help but sigh each time I hear them. Listening to their music transports me to a different place and time where romance is truly alive. Sometimes it's intense, sometimes it's just calm. But the purity of their voices tell me that these guys weren't just randomly put together...they were put together for a reason. And thank God they were!

If you don't want to buy the album, at least click on the link below. It'll take you to this Canadian site that is hosting a contest to win two tickets to fly to Italy and watch Il Divo perform. Too bad it's open to Canadian residents only! You'll be able to hear little snippets of a few of their new tracks off "Siempre."

C'mon...love them as much as I do! More updates later...

Il Divo's "Siempre" snippets

Still Breathing

In everything that I do, I feel that time is of the essence. It's already bad enough that there are not enough hours in a day to finish whatever it is I need to finish. As a teacher, there is never enough time to complete all of my corrections- the piles of papers never seem to get smaller. Rather, they seem to mock me from the corner, collecting dust, telling me how much of a procrastinator I am. On top of work, there never is enough time to hang out with friends. With the hustle and bustle of Christmas upon us, people are so busy, getting caught up in the fast lane of the holidays. There is the hope that we'll get together to catch up, but only if there's time. It's always about time. Time, time, time. The wish for more because of the lack thereof.

In my last post, oh so long ago, I felt that there was so much going on in my life that I had to struggle to catch my breath. A part of me just wanted to let you know that I'm still here....still breathing.

I haven't talked much about school and being back in the classroom. Honestly? I've loved every minute of it. It makes me wonder just how many people love waking up and going to their jobs each morning. I know I do. While I may not have the best day every day...considering on which kid decides to act up or whatnot...I can still say that I look forward to the following day. Being in a classroom with the eager beavers that I have make teaching so enjoyable. Just last week was parent-teacher conferences. While the days are long, I don't mind them so much. It's my chance to really get to talk with some parents, let them know how their kid is doing, and to get a sense of what kind of support my student is or isn't getting. As a whole, 99% of my conferences went well. The 1% that didn't? Oh man...that's for another blog post altogether. Let's just say that if you don't want your child to be learning any of the "Bible stuff" that we do on a daily basis, don't send your child to a Christian school. Moving on...

Mini-milestone

I ate at Olive Garden by myself the other day. By myself.

While many people might not think that's such a big deal, it is for me. I'm one of those people who don't do things on my own. I've never watched a movie on my own nor have I had dinner at a sit-down restaurant by myself. Truth be told, I've always been with someone, whether it was a friend, relative, significant other, or husband.

It took me a long time to decide. You know how you do that whole "should I or shouldn't I?" debate while you're driving...that drives me nuts. Because your whole driving period gets screwed up, you end up wasting gas, and to be quite honest, I hate that not-knowing-what-to-do-and-where-to-go feeling. I'm not the most spontaneous person out there...although I am trying my best to be. I don't think I ever really decided to go there...I somehow just ended up there.

I didn't have to, but I figured that eating solo may be something I should get used to doing. I shouldn't have to rely on anyone to get me through a simple meal, right? People do it all the time! It wasn't totally terrible because I took some papers to correct with me. It was my crutch, I suppose, but it got me through the evening. It was awkward and somewhat depressing, yet it was liberating at the same time. I felt proud of myself because like I said, this was a huge thing for me.


SFState on a Saturday Afternoon
(written on October 28, 2006)

I went back to SF State today on a whim
No plans, no appointments
But just because.

And boy, what a trip down memory lane it was!

As I drove my car around campus looking for parking,
I was reminded of the countless times I’ve passed these very same streets
Circling, following, and trying to fight for any available space
Urgently and fervently praying I wouldn’t be late for class.

The names of these streets escape me, but the paths are ingrained in my head
There isn’t an inch of road that I did not scour in search of “the perfect parking space.”

I got to campus and headed toward the Student Union,
The mecca and center of all student life activity.
Seeing that it was a Saturday afternoon,
I didn’t expect the usual hustle and bustle of college life passing me by.
Rather, I was met by an almost empty campus
Sprinkled with students lazily basking in the sun or making their way to the library.

It was then that I was hit by a deep sense of nostalgia.
Just as the surrounding streets are etched in my mind,
So are the winding paths that lead to certain buildings.

I remembered the times when PACE would table for upcoming events, when student activists took the stage to open our minds and get us involved-
I remembered the hi’s and hello’s as I passed friends on the way to class-
Even the stolen kisses of past boyfriends and the feeling of being on cloud nine.

Making my way through the Student Union,
I was surprised at how much had changed and how much has stayed the same.
I even saw the familiar PACE office where I spent the majority of my time.
I went downstairs in search of the restroom and then momentarily found myself lost.

Then it came back to me-
The conference rooms, the pub, the Depot, the whole lower level eating area, the pool hall, and the game room
So many memories…

Finally finding the restroom, I resorted to that instinctive behavior I acquired years ago-
I checked every stall.
During my days at State, there was the occasional rape or robbery involving women in the restroom.
Campus safety was always an issue and all of us couldn’t be too safe
Traveling in pairs was the norm- it was the rule.
When the coast was clear, I sat and did my business
Looking over to my right, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Right above the toilet paper dispenser was the all too familiar chalkboard
Erotic, and sometimes neurotic, messages anonymously scribbled
Laugh out loud quips and even some to make you think.
I can’t recall if I ever participated in adding my own two cents about anything,
But taking it all in for what it was worth,
I’d like to think that I did.

I wandered more around campus, admiring the changes and feeling cheated
as I always do when I see improvements after my departure-
I climbed these stairs remembering how it led to the outside pyramids
Only to be led to a dead end instead.
Stairs leading to nowhere.

I resolved to find a quiet spot and found my refuge-
A lonely and weathered bench underneath a tree outside the Student Union.
It’s a bench that I’ve sat many a time, but today was different.

It has been eight years since I last attended SF State
And I’m beginning to feel my age.
Though it is a campus of different walks of life
Varied people of varied ages,
I feel old.

My college life, now well behind me, has left a huge imprint on everything I do.
College was one of the greatest times in my life that I’ll never forget.
I learned a lot about love, life, and friendship
I learned more about me.
Essentially, I grew up.
I would never trade those years for anything in the world.

Taking a Deep Breath

The year thus far has been my toughest yet. So many life changes have taken place that I cannot even begin to describe the impact in which my decisions have and will lead me. One could say that I am in unchartered territory. I am in a place where I never dreamed it would be possible for me to be and it's a place where I can only hope to leave as soon as I can. I am reminded each and every day of my current predicament and the only comfort I am offered is the guaranteed certainty of a better and brand new day.

I have acquired a "screw it/f*ck it" attitude. What one might consider to be a fantastical dilemma, I brush it off as a mere trial. My priorities in my life have definitely changed. I simply do not have the time to worry about the little things and I surely do not have time to deal with stupid bullsh*t from senseless people. I may come off as brash or inconsiderate, but if you are of adult age and mind, I expect you to use common sense, however little of it you do have.

I have come to anticipate rejection and disappointment...and while this may apppear to sound downright depressing to its core, it can also be seen as a reflex or instinct to protect myself. Yes, we have all been hurt before. Life wouldn't have it any other way, else we would never learn from our mistakes. We all have our share of sob stories and in order to heal, we turn to our loved ones for comfort. But sometimes even our loved ones let you down, too.

When is it enough? When is too much, too much? There comes a time when support systems can no longer function and do its job. I have always been a believer in asking for help. Lord knows that we are not mind readers and I'm sure many of you have been on the receiving end of unwanted advice. We don't want to be those people. No one wants to be the nag who tells you what they think you should do because dammit, I'm a grown ass woman who can make decisions for myself. But at the same time, we should also be those people who don't have to ask that question of "How are you doing?" We don't have to ask because it's the wrong question to ask. It's not a matter of conversation, it's a matter of checking in and already knowing the answer.

For those who are asking the wrong question, let me set the record straight- things in my life are not hunky-dory. It hasn't been all rainbows and lollipops. If truth be told, it's been hell and I'm stuck in my personal nightmare. You may see a smile on my face and yes, it does seem that I am enjoying my life as it is right now. But that is how I cope and deal...this is me going on...and this is me showing the world that I have survived. Sure, some might say, "Well damn girl, it's not the end of the freakin' world!" This, I am already aware of, thank you very much. But sue me for being f@cking human. I know there ain't no use crying over spilled milk...but it doesn't change the fact that I am still thirsty for it.

I guess that I'm just tired of the sympathetic looks of pity, but y'know what? Save it. Save it for someone who wants to wallow in their own mess. And save your advice for when it is asked. I know what my situation entails and if you have to ask me how I'm doing about it, how I'm dealing with it, save your breath. Plus, if you don't want to be bombarded with the truth that may be awkward, do both of us a favor and talk about something else....Il Divo, for example. Two little words that will automatically brighten my day. Oh yah, the other two are chocolate and coffee. Those will do just fine, too.

And so while ya'll ponder when would be a good time to treat MnM to a grande cup of coffee, I'm going to sit here and take a few deep breaths...

Playing Catch-Up With MnM: The Final Chapter

How sad is this? My summer is basically over and I have only FIVE posts to show for it. The beginning of the new school year is just around the corner...and can I say that I am so NOT ready to go back?! I've had the entire summer to prepare for my return full-time back to work, the entire summer to organize my lessons and revamp the old ones, the entire summer to really get my life in order, and what do I do? Freakin' procrastinate. Argh. Well, I'm definitely paying for all of it now...

Really now...where did the summer go? A lot has happened in the past three months and I honestly have to sit back to reel and wonder at it all. In teacher world, summer begins when school lets out, and since I've been "out" of school since mid-January, well, you can say that I've had one helluva long ass vacation!

For those that know me, they will say that I'm very proud to be a San Francisco native. Not that many of us around these days, y'know? But if truth be told, I've practically converted to be an East Bay gal...omigod, I KNOW!!! Crazy, right?! Perhaps I've been in denial for so long, but when I really think about it, I stopped being a "city girl" once I moved out to Foster City. Oh, how I love that place! Then of course came the move to the Midwest and well, in a matter of months, this chicka became a chicka from the 'burbs. Talk about total 180!

Living out here on "the other side of the Bay" has been, surprisingly, nice. Aside from the distance from da city, there's really not much to complain about...plus, the weather is almost always way better compared to da city...although having a bit of fog offers a comfortable reprieve from the intense heat at times. Living out here with my sister and the family has truly been a blessing. It's given me a chance to hang out with the kiddies ALL THE TIME and yes, while it may get L-O-U-D very often, it's also given me a peek into who these lil' people are. Yes, I've known them from the moment they came out (okay, slid out) into this world, but having been away for so long, I feel that I've seriously missed out. Plus, there's a difference between visiting someone for a bit and living with them for a bit. A MAJOR difference. And this is not to say that it has been bad- not at all! Truly and seriously? I've loved every minute of it and while I may not be able to stay here full-time once school starts, I'll be really wishing that I was...

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

To review my summer so far, I've been to Disneyland, two funerals, and a military retirement ceremony (after which I got to tour the famous USS Hornet). Got to watch a handful of summer blockbusters and really, summer wouldn't be complete without doing so- The DaVinci Code, X-Men 3, Superman Returns,and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest...and for me, "Pirates" is the winner for being most enjoyable movie of the summer- swashbuckling adventure and then some! Yes people, I take the sexy pirate over the superhero in tights. LOL!

I've missed out on quite a lot on my shout-out list- although it's completely belated, just wanted to send some birthday love and hugs to:
my Lola (6/9); in July: Jose, Mommy Hernandez, Lil' Bro, Urs, SB, Noe, Mare, Mrs. Voodoo, XPORider, and LolaAuntie...damn July is a busy month!; in August: the Weekender, the Gao twins, Dr. C, Baby Noah, and Jaypers. I know I'm forgetting someone, but know that you're all in my thoughts and prayers!

Belated shout-outs also go out to those who recently tied the knot: the Saxtons, the Lapuz's, Bianca & Anthony, and Vikki and Michael. Congrats!

And now, for MnM's highlight of the summer...THE highlight to top all highlights. The major event of this summer that will reign supreme in my book for quite a while was....drum roll please...attending the IL DIVO concert! Some of ya'll have heard me go on and on about this worldwide phenomenon (and they are!), and some of ya'll have even been converted into fans (yesssssss!). And yes, I know some may think it is silly for a woman of my age to be so ga-ga over these men...these men who support a charity for underprivileged children of the world...these men who are so down-to-earth and who has not let fame get to their heads...these four awesomely gorgeous and talented men...these men whose silky voices touch the heart in a way that I've never felt before with any other music...these men who make you melt with just a look or a smile...these men who, oh wait, sorry, I'm getting carried away. *blush, blush* My bad! Seriously though. Though I've always been one who could listen to all genres of music (with the exception of heavy metal...the scary kind), this "operatic pop" otherwise and also known as "popera" has really caught my ear. To me, it really compares to nothing because the sound is so pure. There's nothing manufactured about them or their voices- true vocalists with true talent.

Who the heck is IL DIVO, you may be asking? Il Divo is a creation of Simon Cowell, the one and same well-known judge of American Idol. Now before you begin to assume anything about this group (because you know what they say about assumptions...), I truly believe that when Simon is speaking his mind and telling someone that they are "simply ghastly," he is speaking the truth.

Simon went on a worldwide search to look for the best, undiscovered voices. While that appears to be a part of his job description for American Idol, he had a vision. He has always thought highly of the male operatic voice, but he couldn't stand to sit through an opera. Rather, he wanted to listen to a male operatic voice (he thinks a woman's operatic voice is too squeaky!) singing something that he can actually understand. For two years, he was on a mission. He scoured America, Asia, Europe, and the UK...and found them. Four guys from four different countries...immensely talented and charismatic...and oh, did I mention oh, so good looking?!

So I first heard about Il Divo on Oprah. Though they have been together for about a year already and popular in the UK, they were virtually unknown in the U.S. until their appearance on the Oprah show in April 2005. From Oprah to countless TV interviews and appearances, from their 1st World Tour and to the upcoming special performances with legend Barbra Streisand, Il Divo became an overnight sensation without even getting any airplay on the radio! (As geeky as this sounds because I actually know this information, only one other group has ever done that before and that was Led Zeppelin!)

Okay...still with me? Let me warn you now, the rest of this post is going to be about Il Divo, so if you'd rather, you can just skip to the end or come back and check when I post again...because this is BIG! (yah, yah, joke all you want....)

Now before I mention anything else, ya'll have to know what their names are: David (from America), Carlos (from Spain), Urs (from Switzerland), and Sebastien, sweet and sexy Sebastien (from France). Hahah, can you tell which one I like? These men are all in their thirties. Before they became a part of Il Divo, each had their own careers and accomplishments...it's not like they were just plucked randomly from obscurity, these guys are vocally trained, experienced, and widely popular (like rock star popular!) in other countries. By now, you can guess that MnM is a bearer of all kinds of knowledge and tidbits of information of Il Divo. Crazy, I know, but really, it's more than that. Besides being "easy on the eyes," there's something about their voices, their combined voices I should say, that is enough to bring tears to my eyes.

I was just talking about this with my sister the other day...and oh yes, she's a huge fan as well...and I was saying that I never really understood it in movies or in real life where people would be crying at operas. Yes, I've always heard about the emotions, the drama, the crescendo of music, etc, and perhaps it was simply that I was "not there" musically and mentally. But now...WOW. I KNOW what those people were talking about because I FEEL it! I could listen to them sing 24/7. And it doesn't matter that I cannot understand what it is they're saying (they sing in Italian, Spanish, French), you can't help but FEEL what they're singing.

Ok, so rewind back to February 2006...saw them in concert in Minnesota, just a few days after launching into their 1st World Tour. The concert auditorium did not do justice to their voices...it simply could not contain the strength and beauty! The night of the concert just so happened to be one of THE coldest days in MN, but let me tell you, if I did not fear losing any of my appendages to frostbite, I would've stayed behind to wait and possibly get an autograph. Sadly, I did not, but later on I heard that some people did! Dammit! To be oh, so close, yet so far...

Since February, my love and admiration for this group has only grown. And again, some may call it silly, but don't knock 'em if you haven't tried 'em! So I'm back in CA and they have a concert in San Francisco...this time, my aunts, my sister and family go, and yes, they are blown away! Davies Symphony Hall did not do their voices justice, but really, they know how to put on a concert. OH..forgot to mention, they are sponsored by Giorgio Armani...and while they are singing and making women of all ages swoon, they are looking very GQ-ish, too! Anyways, after the concert, my aunt actually got to meet Carlos and get a picture with him! I'm SO jealous! Okay, concert is over and they've moved on to the next city...yet lo and behold, via the website that yes, I'm subscribed to, there is talk of a 2nd leg of the tour....added dates to return to the U.S., specifically the Bay Area! Because we (my crazy fam...) are all subscribed, as a member, we were able to purchase tickets BEFORE the general public...and the result? Tickets in the 12th row, baby!

Gosh, I have to take a break...all the excitement of reliving the concert just to tell the story is too much...Lol! More later...

Playin' Catch-Up With MnM: Part Two

It's weird that I used to put so much time and effort into a post. I looked forward to blogging, to sharing my every day happenings no matter how drab, mediocre or ho-hum, and to keeping abreast of what my online buddies and fellow bloggers were up to.

It's been over a month since I have logged in, posted, and blog hopped. I feel so out of the loop these days.

Rather than going into my usual long and detailed accounts of past events, let me give you a photo-CliffNotes version of MnM's life these days...

MnM on the flight deck of the USS Hornet. BruthaMan's bro retired as an Officer in the U.S. Navy back in June and I was able to attend the ceremony. Because of the ceremony, we were able to snag a free tour of the ship...Standing on the flight deck was totally awesome!

The USS Hornet has a lot of history behind it. If you're familiar with WWII, the USS Hornet was used as the launching for the Doolittle Raid after the attack of Pearl Harbor. Some twenty years later, man first walked on the moon. As Neil Armstrong and crew returned to Earth, their capsule was retrieved by the USS Hornet. That's me below walking the walk as taken by Mr. Neil Armstrong himself. It's dorky, I know, but c'mon, you would've done the same thing, too!

Not pictured here is the Quarantine Facility that Armstrong and his crew stayed in. Also, there was another space capsule from another mission on display. It was roped off with signs surrounding it to please do not touch. I'm sorry. I did it. I touched it. I had to! It's the closest I'll ever get to space!

Playing Catch-up with MnM....PART ONE

I hate having to justify that I AM alive and kicking....for those who were wondering, that is...To be quite honest, there's just been so many things that have happened in such a short period of time that I haven't the energy to write. Of course there's no rule in blogging that one has to write about every single event that transpires, but in my case, there's quite a few events that I would like to share...even though it may seem like old news. So I dub the following posts "playing catch-up with MnM" - read on to see what I've been up to the past couple of weeks.

Life and Death
June 29, 2006

Saying goodbye is never an easy task, but the grief felt by those left behind is always the burden to bear. Yesterday, my mom's first cousin was buried and today, BruthaMan's uncle. In the funeral mass that I attended today, something that the priest said resonated with me. He basically talked about the three stages of LIFE and how it is perceived by different people. For some, it begins with birth.......life......and ends with death. Some believe that at one's death, that's it. End of story. But for Christians, it's NOT the end of the story. For Christians, life begins with birth....death....and ends with resurrection. While some believe that death is the last chapter of life, it really is only the middle of the story- it's when the plot gets interesting and when the rest of the story will reveal itself. While grieving is natural and difficult to deal with, the silver lining is that we will see our loved ones who have passed in heaven again one day.

I was having the most interesting conversation with my niece and nephew on the subject of heaven. While they are still young and may not completely understand the concept of death and resurrection, they do know that they will no longer be seeing their Grandpa Bob for a while. Nico had tons of questions about the how's and why's of being buried in the ground and/or in the wall (mausoleum) while Sabrina inquired about heaven itself. Having read "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" and other children stories on death, I tried to describe my picture of what heaven looked like.

In MY heaven, I imagine a tropical paradise lined with lush green palm trees. There would be THE bookstore of all bookstores with shelves lined with everything I have read, wanted to read, and will be able to read for eternity. There will be a Baskin Robbins that would serve more than 31 flavors of ice cream that will NOT hurt my stomach...yes, in other words, being lactose-intolerant would NOT exist in my heaven. Lol! With this being an example, I told Nico that in HIS heaven, there would probably be the biggest and grandest AUTOPIA ever....yes, as in Disneyland. Sabrina’s version of heaven would include the hugest slide that would take days to enjoy going down. Basically, everyone's heaven, while still being in the presence of the big guy in charge, would be exactly how they would want it- it would include and encompass anything and everything they love and desire.

This reminded me of a mini-sermon the head pastor at my school shared with students during chapel time. He put forth the question the difference between heaven and hell. He told us to imagine a large room that held a huge bowl of delicious soup that encompasses the entirety of the room. Encircled around the bowl were people with spoons that were just as big, long, and wide as the bowl itself. When it came time to eat, each person around the bowl would pick up their spoon, fill it with the delicious soup, but as they attempted to bring it to their mouths, the ends of the spoon would hit the wall behind them forcing the soup to spill. The size of the room would not allow enough space for them to fill their spoons and feed themselves. This room is a picture of what hell would look like. Now imagine another room the exact same size as the first, with the exact same bowl of soup, with the same exact sized spoons for the people surrounding the bowl. When it was time to eat, instead of filling the spoon's contents to feed themselves, each person would fill their spoon and extend it to the person across from them. This is what heaven would look like.

Such a simple, yet powerful image.

Remembering Fallen Soldiers

In two days, I have been to two funerals.

Both of the uncles that passed away both served in the military. Both had a military ceremony. Not meaning to show any disrespect or dishonor in any way, but I was feeling somewhat guilty for feeling sadder for the loss of the uncle who wasn’t even blood related than for the one that was.

*I only saw Tito Nato once a year. My main memory of him is from the annual family reunion picnics that we would have….wearing his yellow shirt….holding his big ole’ video camera. He was never without that video camera and thank goodness because he has captured many memorable moments. One in particular that will forever be imprinted in my mind is of the Tug-of-War competition during a family picnic. Keeping in mind that “special effects” back in the day was not as advanced as it is today, putting things in slow motion was considered pretty cool…and so was putting clips with music accompaniment. So the clip shows the two groups pulling and tugging away, the camera pans on the faces full of sweat and determination, and the surrounding crowds of people are jumping and cheering…all in slow motion, mind you…and here’s this one lone figure, making her way down the line trying to capture the moment of the game, her camera clicking away….all to the tune of “Chariots of Fire.” That figure? My sister! I can’t even find the right words to describe how hilarious that clip was…and still is.

I was saddened to hear that his health deteriorated quite rapidly as a result of various other illnesses he had. At the vigil the night before his burial, it was apropos that a video was shown in his honor. Although I may not have been close to him, it’s still sad nonetheless to lose a member of the family. Tito Nato was buried at the Golden Gate National Cemetery…surprisingly, not too far from the Lolo whom I visited during Memorial Day.

*I can honestly say that I never really had a sit-down conversation with Uncle Bob. You ever have those relatives or family friends where the conversations consist of “Hi! How are you? Good! Okay, you eat now” and then later with, “Okay bye! Take care!” Whenever I attended a family party, this was what our exchange would be like, and yet, he was always friendly enough to say hello with that big welcoming smile of his that a whole conversation wasn’t really necessary. Considering the fact that I only saw Tito Nato once a year, but saw Uncle Bob more often, it really isn’t surprising that I took Uncle Bob’s passing a little harder. Harder was the fact that he passed the day immediately after Tito Nato.

I think his passing saddens me the most not because of MY relationship with him, but rather his relationship to BruthaMan, my sister, and the family. Of course, there’s also the fact that he, along with the other members of BruthaMan’s family, was so welcoming to my sister, my parents, and myself. Plus, while BruthaMan was growing up, Uncle Bob had lived with them and was a huge part of his life, helping to mold him and his brothers into the men they are today- he was considered like another dad. At times like this, I am troubled as to why our loved ones have to be taken so suddenly, but at the same time, I am grateful that others were able to be graced by their presence during their time here on earth. If one didn’t know Uncle Bob well while he was alive, just as I didn’t, I definitely got to know so much more during the eulogy through the many beautiful and touching things people had to share. He was definitely a great man who will, no doubt, be greatly missed.

If a funeral ceremony could in any way, shape, or form be considered beautiful, then that’s what Uncle Bob’s was. The funeral mass was held in Vallejo and a military ceremony followed. BruthaMan and his older brother, both of them Officers, dressed in their military dress and participated in the ceremony. It was a solemn ceremony that included all branches of the military- the highest honor a soldier could be given. As “Taps” was played and the sounds of the 21-gun salute went off, the tears couldn’t be held in any longer.


21-Gun Salute by the Air Force


Folding of the U.S. flag by the Marines


Army Officer CPT. BruthaMan and MnM



**A sort of six-degrees-of-separation and just overall neat tidbit about BruthaMan's family: he has three aunties around the same age as his bros with whom he grew up with...who all happened to hook up and marry Navy seals....one of whom had a small role in one of the most loved Tom Cruise movies that we all know as "Top Gun!" Remember the scene where Goose dies and Maverick is in the water with him...and there's this guy who jumps from the helicopter and tells Maverick that "You have to let him, Sir, you have to let him go!"....that's HIM! Coincidentally, his brother, also a Navy Seal, did some of the jumps for the other takes...they were mainly the two that did the stunts. Isn't that neat? And yes, BruthaMan can say that it's his cousin! I bring that up because he was at the funeral...and as small of a part that he had, my sister and I were the ones going around, "He was in Top Gun!" We're such dorks...lol!**

Summer Reading Slump

The other day it hit me. I had reached a summer reading slump. When the new year had started, I had bought myself one of those reading journals where you get to write about the current book being read, the author, the main characters, and offer a brief summary and/or thoughts and/or opinions about the whole shabang. I've been wanting one of these kinds of journals for some time now and thought, what a nifty tool to stick into my personal library collection of books I've acquired through the years. I imagined people coming to the house and being wowed by my library...and of course soon thereafter being the closet booklover that they are, start pulling books out left and right to find one that fit them just right. They'd ask questions, "Hey, is this a good one?" or "Did this one make you cry?" or something to that affect and I'd gladly share my opinion. But then I also imagine that if/when these people would be in my house that I would be such a gracious hostess that I would be a tad too preoccupied tending to my guests and curious book folk would be left to their own devices. Enter the book journal. Here, I also imagine that I have re-read every single book (not accomplished YET!) and that I have written brief synopsis (plural: synopsi?) of each. All anyone would have to do is rummage through the pages of my book journal, find my lil' summary, and see if the book they chose is for them. But I digress...

So this book journal of mine...I looked through it a couple of days ago and actually pretty impressed with myself. Since the new year, I have read book after book quite routinely....up until the last month. Understandably so, I could say it was due to the Disneyland trip and whatnot, but still, according to the recorded dates, it has been approximately a month since I've read my last book.

I headed out to Barnes the other day...I mean, really, who can't NOT spend an entire day there?! And since I am totally on a budget, I allowed myself two books. Get this, because I will be teaching in the fall (thank God!), I thought it was appropos to sign up for one of those teacher discount cards. While one of the items I bought was school related (okay, I bought THREE items, instead of two...), and technically, I'm supposed to receive the discount on ONLY the classroom item, the cashier gave me a discount for ALL the books. Score!

Back to this reading slump I started with...I think I can pretty much squash that now. Why? Because in three and half days, I basically killed off two books. Deliciously. And guess what? I'm hungry for more! I know, I know, what a freaking nerd! Someone once asked me if I ever got behind in high school when we had to go through those summer reading lists...and surprisingly, yes, I was always behind! The theory being that since I was REQUIRED to read those books, it just prolonged the activity to do so; whereas, here and now, I am wanting to read these books of my own choice at my own volition...it's a whole different ballgame.

Which brings me to another fact of the matter that I have been trying to get back to the classics...as in the ones that I HAD to read for school. Again, being that I HAD to read them for class, I didn't quite enjoy them and appreciate them as I should have. Now, being older and wiser (somewhat), I'd like to think my appreciation for the classics would be so much more powerful and deep.

In any case, here are the two latest books being added to my collection: a review to follow later.

Lazy Hazy Days

Ahhhh....the official first day of summer. As of late, I have had no motivation whatsoever to blog. Perhaps it's the weather...when it gets so hot, one can't help but feel lethargic- no energy to move, to think, to eat, or even talk. If I could, I'd sit at the beach all day long without conversing to anyone. Just give me a good book and/or a blank notebook and I'm good to go. When the sun is just beating mercilessly on you, you can't help but be tamad. Lazy. Got a bloggable moment? Eh...it's too hot. Then of course when you're good and ready to sit at the laptop and type away, all of those bloggable moments seem like old news. Oh well....and so it goes.

Speaking of hot weather...

The temp down in Southern California last week was ohmygosh H-O-T. I accompanied my sister and her family on a trip to the happiest place on earth...that's right, people, I went to DISNEYLAND!!! Y'know, when you haven't gone in so many years, you can't help but feel like a little kid again. Now let me say this, I've always been a fan of anything Disney, but seriously, being there and being surrounded by everything Disney, you can't help but have this big ass grin on your face! Plus, seeing how happy my niece and nephew were made it all worth it, too. The only downside, if I may, is that we stayed there for four days...FOUR. We had a four-day hopper pass to both Disney and California theme parks. The first two days were totally awesome....the third, oooh, cutting it close.....come the fourth day, dude....I've had enough. Don't get me wrong, there were so many things to do and see there, but really, here comes the weather thing again, it was so freaking hot that by day three, I was ready to come back to da Bay for some fog! Plus, with the heat being so intense, we did the whole inside-outside-inside-outside thing....we'd watch a show for the A/C, stand in line for a ride, watch a show, go back outside. Get my drift? Day three heat hit with a vengeance and I was left with a pounding headache all day long. Boo. Hiss. A plus of our trip was that our hotel, the Paradise Pier Hotel, was located minutes from Downtown Disney. A hop, skip, and a jump, if you will. We didn't have to worry about parking and traffic...just the looooonnnnnng walks back after walking all day. Lol!

Since there's just way too many sharable moments, let me just give ya'll some of highlights (and a few lowlights) of the trip...in no particular order.

1. The "It's Not Fair!" incident
2. Meeting the Disney characters ("Hey! Yesterday's Pocohontas is today's Jasmine!")
3. Riding the "Matterhorn," "Space Mountain," and "Indiana Jones" while the kiddies took a nap!
4. Getting whiplash on Autopia...twice
5. Alladin (the first time around)
6. Buzz Lightyear
7. Monsters Inc. incident ("Young lady in the third row...nice glasses...")
8. "Are we there yet???"
9. Nico's trauma on Pinocchio
10. "Rodeo Nico"
11. Fast Pass Karma
12. The Chris-Sandwich

The California theme park was very cool, too, and you simply can't miss the mini-replica of the Golden Gate Bridge. We didn't get to ride the big roller coaster ride or the Tower of Terror, and although we didn't spend as much time here than we did in Disneyland, there are a few attractions that I would recommend:

1. Soarin' (feels like you're really flying!)
2. Alladin Musical Spectacular
3. Talkin' with Crush (interactive)

Of course, the evenings wouldn't be complete without the huge fireworks show. Turns out that the Electrical Parade has been moved to the California theme park, but we didn't get a chance to hang out long enough to see it, but the fireworks in Disneyland over the castle was most awesome! Again, the whole feeling like a little kid thing...fireworks has the same exact effect. You can't help but do the "ooohhhh and ahhhhh" thing! Add the background music to the exploding sky and even the flash of Tinkerbell making her way across the sky was enough to end the night perfectly.

Overall, it was a really great trip with the family- we all got to do and see what we wanted, and heck, between my Ate and myself, we've got about 1,000 pictures to show for it! The kids especially had fun and just watching their faces light up at every little thing was too cute. It really is for them, isn't it? After spending four days in Disneyland, I can honestly say that I do NOT have to come back for a good five years or so. I came. I saw. I rode. I'm good. I'm done.

Interestingly, the other day Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll wrote the following:

There's a show at the Oakland Museum about the creation and refinement of Disneyland. It's a love letter to kindly Walt Disney, king of product placement and cross promotion, never mentioning his union-busting activities or other right-wing projects, and certainly skipping over the odd pervasiveness of shaking rodent butts in his cartoons, but it's still interesting if you can discount the hagiography.

Interesting to me, anyway. I was growing up in Southern California when Disneyland was being built, and I followed its progress avidly. I examined the schematics; I tried to envision the rides. (Particularly Tomorrowland, because I was a reader of science fiction and tomorrow was my destination. Tomorrow is all of our destinations; it just took wise little Asimoviacs like me to realize it.) I went within a month of its opening.

It was an overwhelming, if not entirely pleasant, experience. I loved Autopia, which was a sort of fourth-generation-refined bumper car experience. You drove little cars on little highways -- and my, is the portmanteau word "autopia" interesting, combining as it does "automobile" and "utopia" to describe an attraction in Orange County. Kids, can you say "irony"?

I can be scornful now; at the time, I just wanted to ride it as many times as possible. Interestingly, Disneyland was also the site of a monorail, a technology heartily endorsed by train nut Disney. It was the future of transportation! Someday our great cities will be linked by these swift, silent capsules, unless the residents of San Jose vote down the transportation bonds.

Tomorrowland later was the site of a 360-degree surround-view Michael Jackson video -- I assume that's gone now. Michael Jackson; happy little children -- not a great combo.

I liked Tom Sawyer's Island, too, and I disdained the Carousel in Fantasyland, and I was scared witless by the Abe Lincoln robot that held forth at a theater on Main Street. It was supposed to provide patriotic uplift, the improving message at the end of the fun seeking, but it didn't really look that human, and the thought occurred to me that it could be very easily programmed to slice the throats of little children. (Maybe that idea came from reading too much science fiction.) I stayed away from Honest Abe after the first time; he was just too weird.

Later on, when they were built, I liked Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. I had no interest in the Matterhorn or Space Mountain; recreational fear has never been one of my pleasures. But more than either of those rides, I liked the Monsanto ride. It's gone now, since it didn't really fit with anything.

The lobby of the ride was dominated by a giant replica of a hypodermic needle. You rode in a cart and got "shrunk" into a microscopic particle (remember "Fantastic Voyage"? -- like that) and were injected into the bloodstream of a human being and, look, there are red blood cells skimming past and oh, here comes the heart, nooo ... In other words: sort of like trying to understand the drug problem from the point of view of heroin.

When Disneyland opened, the world was so naive that injectable substances suggested nothing more than a penicillin shot. Later on, a new generation of citizens began visiting Disneyland. The Disneyland brass did not like that development -- as the brochures displayed at the museum made clear, Disneyland was a park designed by white people for white people, and employees were forbidden to wear beards, mustaches and a long list of other offensive things that might suggest deviation from the norm.

Which was ironic, because people soon discovered that getting loaded and going to Disneyland meant a day of big fun. It was an endless playground for people who said "oh wow" a lot. You could, you know, shake hands with Goofy. ("Shaking hands with Goofy" would be a pretty good code phrase for any number of proscribed experiences.) The lines were a drag, but the lines were always a drag, no matter what your synapses were doing. Go early on a weekday in winter and take your chances; that was always my advice.

At some point, it is my theory, the folks at the Disney got the idea -- they had a market. How else do you explain the Main Street Electrical Light Parade? At night, floats juiced to the gills with flashing spinning blinking lights and waving Disney characters would go by, and -- well, you know, wow. It went on forever, for longer than forever. And then there were fireworks! Yes, it was the happiest place on earth.

In any case, much thanks to Ate and BruthaMan for including me on the family outing. I had a blast! Hangin' out with you and the kiddies was awesome! Thanks for the memories...can't wait to do it again sometime. Much love to you all...

Goodbye for Now...

We all know that life is too short and for many, that the end of it comes far too suddenly and much unexpectedly. When I was younger, death was always a scary thing. To some point, it still is, but I'm trying my best to understand that it is part of life and it's a part of our journey. All the same, it's undeniably painful for those who are left behind to deal with the sadness and the grief because it's so hard to let go. It is a comfort to know that we will be reunited with our loved ones someday.

With that said, to the Susbilla and Cereca families, you're all in my prayers...until we see Tito Nato and Uncle Bob again. May they rest in peace.

Memorial Day Highlights

Okay, so I'm a tad late...a week late, to be exact...on updating my lil' excursions during this past Memorial Day. Reason being? I've been sick. Boo. Hiss. I swear, being sick sucks big time. Of course no one in their right mind ever enjoys being under the weather, but when the weather outside is warm and sunny, it just plain sucks when you can't even enjoy it. It also sucks when you don't feel well enough to even attend a FREE Madonna concert. FREE! I swear, I could kick myself repeatedly for passing a FREE concert up, but oh well, so it goes, the body was just not up to it. Aiya...did I mention that it was a FREE concert??? That sucks. Really sucks.

Moving on...

Summer Blockbuster

The DaVinci Code

Last Saturday, my sister and I went on a movie date with dear old Dad to watch the much anticipated "The DaVinci Code." If you've read the book, remember how freakishly intense the beginning was with the murder of the Louvre curator. Now imagine the movie previews are done, the lights go dim, and the opening sequence of the movie is already that! My heart was beating fast, simply because I knew what would happen, but to see it on screen was pretty cool. Although most movies adapted from books do not usually replicate scene for scene, "The DaVinci Code" did a good job of keeping to the story. But there were quite a few instances when my sis or I would ask each other, "Hey, was that in the book?" or "Did it happen like that in the book?" or "Hey! That's NOT in the book!" and even, "Hey, that SHOULD'VE been in the book!" The first time I read the book was a little bit more than a year before the movie trailer came out. The first time took my breath away. Because I didn't know some of the differences between fact and fiction, it really got me thinking. As the movie release got closer, I reread the novel again, the illustrated version this time, and knowing which actors would play whom, it made the story more alive. But seeing it all come together on-screen, well, gee, it was definitely worth the wait. I have to say, though, that Paul Bettany, who plays the albino monk in the story, was freaky. In the book, he's just plain scary, but as the movie came to a close, you can't help but feel for his character. If any of you are Paul Bettany fans, well, here's one for you....they show his ass. I'm talking full moon. Yup. In all of its glory. Blam! Lol! As for the rest of the movie, I totally loved seeing the history of France- I know I've said this before, but I would love to go to Paris one day! The outside shots of The Louvre are breathtaking! I wouldn't mind seeing the movie again...I'd probably catch some things I missed the first time around.

A quick sidenote: after the movie, I downloaded The DaVinci Code game. It's one of those where your character is in a room and you have to match three of the same symbols in order to clear a path. Kinda like Tetris, you match the same, they disappear, and you're left to match even more. Put a time limit, some police guards, some freaky music, and a Silas character into the shuffle, and you get a very obsessed MnM trying to make her way across each room. This game has 10 Chapters and within each chapter, there are 10 Levels. After the completion of each level, you receive a Crytex letter. At the end of a chapter, those letters must be rearranged to solve a riddle that will open up the cryptex- inside there will be a piece of artwork that has to be solved as well. It's all very addicting!

BUT, here's the kicker, the downside of it, if you will. Maybe it's because I was playing it until the wee hours of the morning, maybe it was because I ignored the watery eyes of searching for three of the same, maybe it was the freaky music and the ominously scary voice of Silas saying "The secret dies here" and "My hand is swift" or "Death will be quick"...maybe it was the combination of all those that actually gave me a nightmare that I was, indeed, being chased just like in the game! Laugh all you want, people, but it was enough for me to stop playing the game! (I got to Chapter 9 though...one chapter short of being "master." Lol!) I learned my lesson though...next time I play, I'll put my laptop on mute!

MnM gives it two thumbs up!

X-Men 3: The Last Stand

Maybe it's a tad premature to say this, but "X-Men 3: The Last Stand" has got to be THE blockbuster of the summer! I won't even go into any details of it because I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but damn, this movie had it all! The battle scenes were pretty intense, yet as intense as they were, there were some comedic moments as well. Wolverine did his thang and Storm kicked some serious ass! She was so cool! Other mutants are introduced, too, and I just saw this article online about Psylocke being added to the mix. Maybe I just didn't notice her??? But according to this article, the girl who plays her is Pinay! Her name is Mei Melancon, not really well-known, had a mini-part in Rush Hour 2. For those of you who saw "X-Men 3," did you notice her? The article I saw was from 2005, so maybe it never panned out? Hmmmm....got me all curious...maybe I should watch it again! In any case, I'm not spoiling it by mentioning that some people die...the way they do was quite disturbing though...oh and hey, did ya'll know that it would be set in San Francisco??? I was not aware! So what if it was all green screen, it was neat to see da city on-screen! Lastly, here's the deal...if you are planning on seeing it, stick around for the credits...there's a lil' sumptin' sumptin' at the end...

MnM gives it two thumbs up, or two wings up, or two adamantium blades up, um, you get the point...

Golden Gate Park

Sunday morning should've found me at church service, but seeing that I was late that morning (and I HATE being late for church!), I ended up hanging out in Golden Gate Park instead. It was such a beautiful day last Sunday that I didn't even mind the solitude- gave me a chance to walk around, take pictures, do some writing, and just sit and think...all that, of course, after searching for parking for about twenty minutes and almost getting completely lost! It was cool. This pic is of the stage where there would be free performances in the park- although I've never been to one myself. It's actually closed down for repairs, but the architecture is always good for pictures. I love the columns! When taking pictures lately, I've noticed that I'm drawn to flowers and other stills that do NOT include people....benches, for example. There's something about them...maybe it's the weathered look that catches my eye or perhaps the view to which seated occupants are inclined to look at. Whatever it is, they intrigue me.





Golden Gate Park National Cemetary

Memorial Day. A day set apart so that we may remember those who bravely served our country and to remember those who serve it still. It's funny to think of holidays because honestly, it's just one day where we all get a day off of work. But how many really think about WHY we're getting that day off? To plan the next barbeque or picnic? This day was to honor the heroes who have given their life for their country, but why do it for just one day when we could do it everyday? I mean, we're all guilty of it, I'm just saying...it's just like Christmas. So many have lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas that we take for granted that we don't need one day out of the year to honor the birth of Christ. But that's just me...

Anyways, the only other time that I've been here was when my Lola's oldest brother passed away in 1992. That was the first military funeral that I attended and man, talk about solemn and intense. From the point where the servicemen folded the American flag from the coffin and presenting it to my lola to the 21-gun salute, it was nothing but tears from beginning to end. As you can see from the picture, this cemetary is located in San Bruno...if you look closely, the mountains in the background bear the words "South San Francisco." When you're driving on 280, you can't help but notice the flagpole and depending the day, if the flag is at half staff. It being Memorial Day, all of the graves were donned with U.S. flags and my auntie and I thought it would be fitting to visit our Lolo. But first, we had to figure out WHERE he was. Near the entrance of the cemetary, there is a "grave locator"- either a computer station or a book directory. I easily found him and we were off to find his grave. When we finally found him, there was this certain sadness that came over me...a sadness that it took me this long to ever visit and even moreso, the reality that I've never really visited any of our other relatives that have long passed away. But it was nice to see his grave and to say hello nonetheless.

FRESCA

Lastly, I got my first taste of Peruvian cuisine at Fresca located in West Portal. I don't consider myself a foodie like Mrs. Voodoo and Mrs. Weekender, but I am open to trying to new things. My first experience wwas pretty tasty! I didn't know what to order, but the family next to us were raving about their meals that I decided to go with what the mom ordered- pork chops with mashed yams and a side of diced apples. I can't remember the Peruvian name, but it was yum. Also, I've had sangria before, but this particular pitcher that we ordered was just right- not too strong and just sweet enough. A pitcher of sangria was $25. Overall, it was yum. Expensive, but yum.

Titanic 2

I was just blog-hopping today and got this from Knoizki via Consuela's site. Seeing that Titanic is and will continue to be one of my all-time most favorite movies, this totally tripped me out! Oh yes, and I will unashamedly divulge that I was a huge Leonardo Dicaprio fan, too...HUGE. In any case, maybe I've been under a rock for too long, but I'm slowly noticing these YouTube video thingys all over the place lately. Check this one out...the movie preview for Titanic 2.



Isn't that a trip?! Okay, I KNOW that it's not real, but still. The concept, the idea, and the whole putting it together is genius! Now if you're a big Leo fan as yours truly, then you would've noticed that many of the clips are from his other movies. Some easily recognizable scenes are taken from Romeo & Juliet and The Basketball Diaries. After all of these years, and even watching him in "Aviator," he's still the talented and dreamy guy I know. *sigh!* Lol! Much props to this Chalt dude...either this guy is really talented or he has WAY too much time on his hands. Either way...it was dope!

And The New American Idol Is...

TAYLOR HICKS! I must say that is was a very nice surprise! I was rooting for him simply because he's unique onto himself. Throughout the entire process, he's remained very humble and plus, he's an overall likable guy. I'm impressed with America's vote because I didn't think they would go for different this time around, but hey, hooray for him! I honestly didn't care one way or another...I liked both Taylor and Katherine...but c'mon people, it really should've been the rocker, Chris Daughtry!

I have to say that last night's finale episode must have been one of THE best ones American Idol has given us yet. With so many huge stars appearing (Dionne Warwick, Meatloaf, Live, Al Jarreau, Mary J. Blige, and of course, the legend himself Prince...WOW!), it was one surprise after another! It was awesome! Then there was also the appearance of Clay Aiken and Carrie Underwood...very nice...they still sound good.

In any case, I found this online and thought it was funny. It's all about the highlights and lowlights of last night's show. Read on...

By Craig Berman
MSNBC contributor

Highlight: Carrie Underwood opening the show singing the first few lines of "I Made it Through the Rain," then being joined by finalists Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee. It illustrated the passing of the torch nicely. Between that and the decision to make the final Hicks-McPhee duet "I've Had the Time of My Life," the producers did a decent job of highlighting both the challenges and charms of competing on the show. (Wasn't too impressed with the last song "I've Had The Time of My Life." I couldn't stop picturing Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing!)

Lowlight: The montage highlighting the judges. Yeah, we get it: Randy says the same few catchphrases every week, Paula's either crying or hitting people, and Simon has an ego. Stop the presses. Besides, did anyone really need to see Simon feeling himself up so soon after the dinner hour? (Was it me or did Paula just look high throughout the entire season?! I get tired of Randy's use of "dawg" easily...and hey, Simon is the ONLY one who has anything valid to say!)

Highlight: Chris Daughtry performing with Live. Of all the "Idol" finalist-musical guest pairings, this is the one that is most likely to be repeated somewhere down the line. The next time they'll be on the same stage together will probably be at a rock festival somewhere next year. Interestingly. Simon said earlier in the competition that Daughtry needed to make some changes, because a band like Creed would never appear on a show like this. The fact that Live proved that theory wrong demonstrates that groups will do an awful lot to reach an audience, even if it means being in the same room with Paula Abdul. (Dope performance...and plus, Chris is in his element already!)

Lowlight: Meat Loaf. He wouldn't have made it out of "Idol's" Hollywood round with the performance he gave on Wednesday. Plus, the pairing with Katharine McPhee singing "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" was just plain wrong on every level. He looked and sounded like a dirty old man singing to the pretty young girl with whom he has no shot. (Yah...that was awkward...I actually prefer when Celine sings that song...)

Highlight: The "Pickler and (chef Wolfgang) Puck" featurette was an interesting concept, though it wasn't worth two segments. Though it went on a little long, it was nice to see Kellie Pickler able to laugh at herself as she attempted to avoid eating exotic food. But if she can't bring herself to eat a snail or even sit at the same table with a live lobster, "Fear Factor" probably isn"t in her future. (It was funny/cute, but after a few seconds, it was too much. She's better off singing...that's about it.)

Lowlight: Pickler's hair. Who told her a bob was a good idea? (Not me!)

Lowlight: The "Golden Idols" bits, in which Ryan Seacrest handed out Academy Award-like statuettes, mostly to singers who weren't good enough to make it to Hollywood. Seriously, viewers really needed to see the failed auditioners again? The talent bookers couldn't have found a few more musical stars to fill that 20 minutes of airtime? Is Nick Lachey that busy? (I agree. We didn't need to see any of the horrid rejects...as funny as they were, this was a night to hear and listen the ones that we actually like!)

Highlight: Auditioner Crazy Dave Hoover actually got to throw himself around the stage during the finale. Nice to see fame hasn't calmed him down any. The folks from Jolt Cola will be calling any minute now. But it would probably be better for everyone if the Prozac people got to him first. (He's just scary...)

Highlight: The group montage featuring the six male finalists — or really, the five eliminated finalists accompanied by Taylor Hicks on the harmonica. Very entertaining, especially since five of the six looked like naturals together. (I have to say, they all looked good in suits! Chris and Ace...hmmmm...nice.)

Lowlight: It's not his fault, but Kevin Covais seemed very out of place with the rest of the men. Surrounded by contestants a decade older than he was, he looked like somebody's kid brother who wandered onstage and was given a microphone. (The cutesy Chicken Little joke was good for what, five seconds?)

Highlight: Nice job by the booking agents - Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, Prince, Live - it's as if the musical establishment has figured out that "Idol" is sticking around, so it's better to jump onto the bandwagon with both feet.

Lowlight: Uh, Mary J. Blige, the FCC is on the phone. Something about your outfit. And Malibu Barbie wants her sunglasses back. (I would've said Toni Braxton's lack of clothing...that woman really needs to cover up! She looks good and all, but damn...)

Highlight: Carrie Underwood and Clay Aiken making an appearance. See that, Kelly Clarkson! Some people aren't afraid to remind people where they came from. (How come there's no mention of Reuben Studdard and Fantasia? They're Idols, too!)

Lowlight: Is that how Clay Aiken dresses now that he's a big star? He resembled a college freshman coming back to impress the high school girls at homecoming. And do they not have hair stylists in North Carolina? He looked like a giant Swiffer. (I have to say, he looked GOOD. And the hair, I liked it!)

Dvd Crazy

Everyone knows that Tuesday is THE day when new music cds and movies are released. That is THE day when people flock to the nearest Target and Best Buy to scoop up the latest must-haves. Tuesday is THE day that I'm assuming is one of the highest traffic and profit making days for such stores...AND I know all of this because I am but another customer who does indeed add to the craziness of being those people in line to get the latest whatever! Okay, so I have not been able to contribute my finances to the craziness lately, but yesterday I was witness to my sister's. Lol!

"You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both, and there you have the Facts of Life. The Facts of Life." Just for the record, this wasn't bought yesterday, BUT it was bought on a Tuesday...THE day. Now, many won't even remember when this sitcom was on, but I will always remember the beginning words of the song of the show. I can't recall every single episode, especially when it first started, but man oh man, does it bring back some memories or what?! Those of us who really get into a series or show can't help but think how real the situations are that the characters get involved in. Or maybe that's just me? Ha. Take my beloved "Dawson's Creek" for example. Yes, yes, there are no high school aged teens who talk as intelligently as they do on this planet, but the situations themselves are something that we can all relate to, yah? The "Facts of Life" are the same thing. Already into the second episode, I find myself tearing up...and I can't even remember what it is about at the moment! Just the title alone says it all...life is challenging as it is. There are people who come in and out of your life- some come and go while others remain for a lifetime. Some are there for you no matter what happens and others will let you down. You go through some things, hard things, for a reason which you may not understand, but there's always a lesson to be learned...and our job is not make the same mistakes again. I mean, sure, I may be looking so far into it than the basic entertainment purposes, but still, as corny as it is and how "simple" life and other such things were at the time, I always liked the happy-conclusions-this-is-what-I-learned-from-the-experience moments. Well, if you've never heard of a bunch of galpals named Blair, Jo, Natalie, Tootie, and Mrs. Garrett, check the dvd seasons out...and you'll be in for a lot of laughs.

Back in 1990, a show called "Wings" aired. To be quite honest, my sister and I didn't follow it much until it aired as reruns during the late night. What's so hilarious about this comedy series is that it's about two brothers who are pilots. The older one, Joe, is the more responsible one; the younger one, Brian, is the opposite. My Ate and I used to joke that those characters were US! So when the whole dvd phenomena started growing with the older series coming out, we were just playing the waiting game for when "Wings" would come out. And out it came yesterday! Whoo hoo! Sure it's funny to see the big 90's hair, hear the lingo, see the style of clothes, etc, but hey, it's a FUNNY show!


High School Musical, Disney's latest dance craze musical that is the hottest thing right now among tweeners and teens alike across the country. Okay, now let me just say that when my niece and nephew started imitating ALL the dance moves and singing ALL the songs, I really didn't know what to think of it. It sounded cute, for sure, but I wanted to see for myself what the big deal was. Sometime last month, it showed on Disney Channel. When we first saw the announcement, my niece was so hyped that she wrote it down on the calendar so we wouldn't forget! Turns out that Disney was showing a back to back feature...which we watched...that means fours hours....FOUR HOURS! Lol! Okay, now anyone who knows me is aware that I'm a sucker for musicals. Some can't stand them, but I love 'em. Grease 1 and 2? Loved it! Rent? Loved it! Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera? Loved it! Catch my drift? Well..."High School Musical" is somewhat like a really tame watered down version of Grease, except there is no mention of sex, drugs, or alcohol or anything like that. It's Disney, people! There's a lot of cool catchy tunes, fun dance moves, and of course, a good positive message to send to kids. Safe to say, I LOVED IT! Who says Disney is just for kids? Plus, kid and teen actors never cease to amaze me- I'm totally impressed!

ANYWAYS...it came out yesterday and of course, seeing how my niece and nephew are such huge fans, my sister just HAD to get it. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out. If anything, I'm sure it'll bring a smile to your face...even if you're not a big fan of musicals.

*Can't wait for the following to come out on DVD and be added to my own personal collection:

- Ally McBeal
- Ed

*Ones that I have yet to purchase

- Gilmore Girls Seasons 3, 4, 5
- Smallville
- Will and Grace
- Charmed Seasons 2, 3
- Friends Seasons 3-10
- Dawson's Creek....oh wait! I already have those already! Yay!

**In case anyone is wanting to give MnM any surprises for no good reason, please feel free to choose from any of the above. LOL! (oh wow...I felt like my lil' cousin D for a split second...no shame, I tell you, no shame!)

Randomness

* Did anyone else watch the season finale of "House" last night? Did anyone get it? Did anyone understand it? Did anyone else get grossed out by the eyeballs popping out? I was so confused...so if anyone can shed some light, please do!

* I'm not quite sure what carpal tunnel syndrome feels like, but if the pain I feel in my hands and wrists are IT, then crapola.

* Still looking for employment. Anyone hiring???

Weekly Blog

Yup. That's what this blog of mine has somewhat become. It's not that I'm purposefully ignoring my site and like I mentioned before, it's not that I don't have anything blog-worthy to share. Lack of motivation, yadda yadda yadda, etc, etc, and all of that other stuff. At the end of the day, I'm either too exhausted from hanging out with the kiddies or I'm playing catch up watching non-Disney channel programs...NOT that there's anything wrong with Disney, I LOVE Disney...just NOT 24/7.

It Ain't Over Yet

Just when I thought wedding season and wedding preparation was done...at least on my end anyways. After the Weekender's wedding, there weren't any other ones that I knew of in my family that were coming up. It was probably after my cousin's wedding this past January that I almost swore that I wouldn't help out- my sis and I simply did TOO MUCH that we almost didn't have time to enjoy!

Last week, I met up with homegirl Sha to help out with her cousin's placecards. (*Ahhhh...flashback!!!!) Thankfully the guestlist wasn't totally huge and we were able to do all the printing and whatnot in about an hour. Seeing that Sha can't type worth jack (LOL!), the only payment required was some Starbucks. I'm easy, peoples....and Starbucks makes me a happy camper.

THEN, on that same day, I met up with Mrs. 3rd/5th Grade because her cousin, who is Chinese, is marrying Filipino. As the wedding coordinator, she was a tad stumped at what the heck the veil and cord ceremony were, what are the coins for, what exactly was a the money dance, and how a traditional Filipino Catholic wedding should run. After busily taking notes, asking for clarification, and going through an entire ceremony in detail (over dinner might I add...Barney's Gourmet Burgers in the Marina...YUM!), she was exhausted!

I guess it was humorous on my part because since I was raised Catholic and mostly attended Filipino Catholic weddings, this was a no-brainer for me. But since I converted, I've also gone to non-denominational and other Christian weddings and can definitely see and appreciate the differences. All in all, it's a beautiful thing to see two people in love vowing to spend the rest of their lives together, no matter what their religion, faith, or denomination because LOVE in any language is the same.

Musical Recital

Growing up and being "forced" to learn how to play the piano, I was grateful that I never had to endure the nervousness and anxiety of playing in front of a large crowd for a recital unlike my sister. At a young age, I already knew that piano wasn't my forte and it really and simply wasn't my thang. After four years of lessons, I stopped. My sister, on the other hand, was under the instruction of this concert pianist and had he not passed away, I honestly think she would've had a bright future in music. Don't get me wrong, she's still good, but the piano teacher that we had afterwards was, in my opinion, nothing compared.

My niece Sabrina began taking lessons a few years ago...NOT because she was forced, but because she WANTED to. That makes a difference. Because of that desire, she has more knowledge of theory and the basics that I will probably never understand. Of course it does help that she has "piano fingers," long slender fingers that are able to stretch somewhat gracefully over the keys. Okay, her fingering can be totally wrong sometimes, but once she corrects her mistakes, she's pretty good about doing it correctly thereafter. Plus, I have to say, she's quick at memorizing pieces, a feat that I once deemed as impossible! Lol! If and when I had to memorize a piece, it would take me FOREVER...plus, it had better be a piece that I really liked. This girl, even if she is in the middle of learning something new, after a few tries, she will somehow get the first counts down. Quite impressive, I think, but at the same time, I believe that she should concentrate on reading the actual notes first. But hell, what do I know?! If she is more comfortable memorizing something as soon as she learns it, who am I to stop this creative process in motion, right? Hah...maybe I'm just jealous.

I attended her piano recital this week. It's not held in a major auditorium as I would've thought; rather, it's in the home of her teacher. Her teacher is one of the most cordial women I've ever met- so polite, so gentle, so patient- there really aren't people like her anymore. Basically, her students would come to the front and play a piece or two, starting from the recent beginners (playing variations of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star") and moving up to the more advanced (playing different sonatinas). Sabrina was somewhere in the middle. Again, I was quite impressed...she had been nervous about playing, although this wasn't her first recital, and even though she messed up at home while practicing, her performance was almost flawless. She played two pieces- It's A Small World, and a duet with her mom, a simplified version of Phantom of the Opera. All I know is that while she played, I had this big grin on my face and I'm sure if I didn't have to worry about videotaping her, the tears would've came!

To see these really young kids perform, and really well at that, is truly inspiring! I've had this nagging itch to learn how to play the violin. I think I've always had this affinity to the violin simply because I think the sound is hauntingly beautiful. There's something about the sound that mesmerizes me. Plus, after hearing some of the violin students play, the desire to learn has only grown stronger. At the end of the recital, the teacher invited guests to try the various instruments she had on display. Of course, I went straight to the violin. I have no idea what note I played, but the one note that I did sounded clear and yes, beautiful. I swear, what a difference it would've made if I had this very same desire to play the piano when I was younger...one day, people, one day.

Birthday Shout-Outs

*To my Ate: a belated birthday shout-out- she celebrated her 39th this past Wednesday! There's really not much I can say about my one and only sis without tearing up...but all I can say is that she has been the bestest friend this gal can ask for. Thanks for all that you are and all that you do, Sister...love you! Happy Happy Birthday!

*To my lil' cousin D: okay, he may not be little anymore, but he'll always be my younger lil' cuz. He turns 23 tomorrow, but his big day was really yesterday as he graduated from Sac State University! A small crew of da family made the trek up to Sacramento and boy, was it H-O-T or what?! Sufficed to say, we all came back red, sunburned with raccoon-eyes, exhausted from the heat with the amoy ng araw all over us! Plus, the aunties and I didn't quite follow the caravan back home and took the "scenic" route...yah, yah, yah, so we got lost, BIG DEAL! LOL! Much love and congratulations lil' cousin- you did it! And Happy 23rd Birthday...time to drink up...like I even had to say that! ;-)

MnM - Out From Hiding

Beginning with the Weekender's wedding, the past couple of weeks have gone by in a flash. Considering my current state of employment (or the unfortunate lack thereof), it boggles my mind as to where the time goes that I cannot find the time to blog. Is it because I haven't had anything blog-worthy to share? Au contraire! There have been definite that's-going-in-my-blog moments, but the motivation factor to actually translate anything into written form has been severely lacking. And now at almost 1am in the morning, with eyes already heavy with sleep and a mind incapable of clear thought, I attempt to make contact with the blogging world (yes, all five of you loyal readers...) to assure you that yes, indeed, I am still alive.

That is, in case you were wondering.

In any case, here's the breakdown of some of the things that's happened, in no particular order or importance.


The Da Vinci Code You've seen the trailers. You've seen the commercials. Billboards everywhere are advertising the movie that is sure to be a blockbuster as well as the center of protest. You know what I'm talking about! The Da Vinci Code opens in theaters everywhere this Friday, May 19, 2006. I won't go into detail on how awesome I think this book is- I've already done that more than once. Instead, I just had to share that I received the hardcover, illustrated version of this Dan Brown novel as a Mother's Day gift! On a recent trip to B&N, my sister surprised me with it saying that it would be an early Mother's Day present and for the past week, all I've been doing with my free time is rereading it. I consider myself to be a very visual person and so I've been soaking up all of the illustrations of the beautiful pieces of artwork and architecture that I can only hope to see in person one day. Plus, it's one thing for me to mentally conjure up a visual of what the characters look like according to the descriptions in the book, but after seeing the trailers for the movie, I reread the story with Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou in mind and it makes it all the more exciting! Though it took me a week to complete it, I read and relished the last page just a couple of hours ago. It was definitely a much better read the second time around and I anticipate the discussions on whether the book or the movie was better...although in my experience, the book has almost always been the better of the two. In any case, much thanks goes out to Ate for the awesome gift!


The Promise When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I was so blown away at the beautiful cinematography that I immediately knew that it was a movie that I'd like to see. Although I didn't have any plans to see it, the opportunity to do so was happen stance and I got to see it with my aunt.

A few things about the film. One, it is in Mandarin with English subtitles. With so many scenic landscapes and whatnot, it was somewhat difficult to focus on reading. I found myself wanting to lose myself in the picturesque scenes, but of course, you have to follow along with what's going on. Two, the storytelling part of it is good, although in my opinion, the movie doesn't seem to flow as smoothly which leads me to think that if the movie was based on a book (is it?), the book would have definitely been better. Three, the movie poster should have included Nicholas Tse. I've always thought that it was sexy for guys to have that piece of hair hang over right over the eyes...and his does that very thing! Very anime-ish, but sexy nonetheless! Lol! Four, the story is really a love-square. Three guys in love with the same girl. Although there is only one who truly deserves her love, you can't help but feel the pain of the other two. Five, the cinematography steals the show. Six, the ending may confuse you. I don't know what it was, but as the credits were rolling, my aunt and I were semi-stumped as to what it all meant. Hey, if you watch it and the ending makes total sense to you, please enlighten me!

A quick side note: we watched "The Promise" at Stonestown Theaters, a theater that I had believed to be closed down a long time ago! That was a shock in itself, but as my auntie and I were leaving the theater, we noticed that there was an unusually huge crowd of Pilipinos exiting the doors. Considering that the theater was only showing two movies, this crowd of kababayans HAD to be watching the other one. It turns out that there is a Filipino comedy called "D'Lucky Ones!" Now I was totally trippin' because back in da day, there was a theater on Geneva Avenue called the Apollo which showed Filipino flicks...that theater closed down, became a place for Pentacostal worship, closed down again, was rebuilt and is currently a Walgreens. I just thought it was cool that a Filipino flick is actually out in the theaters here. I'm not sure how long it will show there, but if you're interested, go check it out! Who knows, maybe there'll be others and having Pinoy movies out and about won't be a thing of the past anymore.

Hollywood-esque Party

Not that I know what a Hollywood party would look and feel like...I can only assume from what I read in magazines or see on TV. But when my auntie was invited by a couple of friends to attend this "house party," imagine our surprise when the neighborhood we drove into happened to be lined up with million dollar homes with Mercedes, Jaguars, Escalades, and convertibles that I don't even know the names of in almost every driveway. Since we were on a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend invite, it was especially intimidating to see that the only other Pinoy in the house was the bartender. Eyes were definitely on us. Oh, I forgot to mention that there was a cover/donation fee at the door and it included all you can eat finger foods and free alcoholic beverages. Yup, it's like that. There was a DJ in what would seem like the living room- the major furniture had been moved and a dancefloor was put in the middle. Outside in the pool area, there was a live reggae/Carribbean band...of course, not complete without their little cannabis-smokin' friends. There were people who were casually dressed in jeans (as we were!) and those who were dressed in their very best hootchie-mama-hey-look-at-my-cleavage dresses. We dubbed the Paris Hiltons, Lindsay Lohans, and Britney Spears quite easily- it was like that! We stuck around for a while, taking advantage of the free-not-so-free food and rounds of alcohol, danced alongside the rhythmless nation of white folks (sorry- it's just not in your blood, people!), found a personal gym complete with numerous workout machines, flat screen tv with surround sound while looking for the loo, took a tour of his garage to oooh and aaah the owner's cars and motorcycles, and met some Peruvian dudes who were trying to hook up with my auntie who thought they were the sh*t. Rich, I'm sure, but the sh*t they weren't! Lol! Oh, by the way, the party was held by some rich white dude who was raising money for medical research...apparently he acquired this huge ass house the old fashioned way...from his parents!

In any case, while I'm sure there were many "prominent" business folk in attendance, CEO's and other richie rich, it was so NOT my scene. But hey, how many times will I ever get to "crash" a party like that again? It was fun!


Happy Graduation!

Last Sunday, BruthaMan graduated from Golden Gate University. Nevermind that his final paper has yet to be turned in, the ceremony and whole act of walking in your gown- a MASTER'S GOWN - is a major accomplishment that we are all proud to have seen him earn. Rewind to the few days before the actual grad and imagine him, my sis, and myself trying to figure out HOW EXACTLY to wear the robe and gown. I didn't know that there was a difference in undergrad and graduate robes! Let's just say that we even had to consult the internet for help- how sad are we?! But the day of, it was a great moment for everyone...as BruthaMan walked across that stage, my sis and the kiddies had just given him a rose lei, his brothers and myself were there cheering him on, and his mom sat with her hanky to her eyes. After three years, all the hard work has paid off- congratulations BruthaMan! I can only hope that my turn is not that far away! Rest up and rest easy now!

The Weekender's Wedding Weekend

A huge congratulation shout-out goes to the newly hitched Sacramentos! Their wedding this past weekend was one of the most anticipated shindigs of the year simply because Mrs. Weekender is one of the last of our lil' group to be married. Yup- saved the best for last!

And what a wedding it was!

The bride was beautiful and elegant; the groom was handsome and GQ'd. They make for a disgustingly good looking couple! The ceremony was held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Oakland right on Lake Merritt. 'Tis a beautiful church! It doesn't boast the typical huge architectural features of many of the Catholic churches I've been to; this one was quite modern.


I loved the enormous stained glass windows and how the altar was in the middle of the church with pews and chairs encircling it. It provided a more intimate setting, especially when the immediate family was called to join the bride and groom for the wedding vows.



I have to say that the tears started flowing as soon as the Weekender walked down the aisle. I saw her get ready at the hotel...hair, makeup, gown, shoes, jewelry, the whole sha-bang...but when she walked down the aisle accompanied by her brother and her mom, my eyes filled up. From where the bridesmaids were sitting, I had a good view of the groom from behind. When the Weekender stepped out from the side corridor, Etch-A-Sketch was blown away. It's like he took one look at her, probably said something like "hot damn!" (or not!), and had to shake his head in disbelief at the beauty of his bride. It was classic and from that moment on, they both had these huge ass smiles painted across their faces for the rest of the ceremony.

After the "I Do's" were said, the wedding party headed across the street to take some pictures along Lake Merritt and from there, we were off to the reception.

The reception was held at the Boundary Oaks Country Club golf course in Walnut Creek. Because there was this whole movie theme going on, the tables inside the hall were named with some of their favorites that included Sixteen Candles (one of MnM's fave!), Blue Hawaii, and An Officer and A Gentleman. I was seated at The Wedding Singer table. They even had this huge movie poster of them that also served as their Save The Date flyer to everyone. As soon as I found our table, the bag that I was holding accidentally pushed a fork off the table and wouldn't you know it, the damn thing fell straight downward and stabbed my toe! WTF?! What a way to start the evening- LOL! Anyways...just had to share that lil' tidbit. Moving on...

Directly behind my seat, there was a chocolate fondue fountain.
The sweet smell was enough to get my going, but in actuality, I was completely paranoid the entire time because it didn't seem that the table it sat on was stable! You could hear this rattling noise and if you watched the candles that surrounded it, it was clearly shaking. Once the waiters placed stacks of serving plates, I was seriously just waiting for the moment for the table to topple over me. First my toe, then a chocolate covered bridesmaid. That definitely would've made for a memorable moment, yah? (NOT!)



On the other side of the dancefloor, they had the wedding cake on another table. It was a chocolate layer cake with chocolate and caramel with toasted pecan filling. Yum! After all of the running around, taking polaroid pictures of the guests, receiving the gifts, and directing guests, I was feening for something sweet to reenergize. Isn't it so pretty?

Aside from the normal wedding reception activities (i.e., slideshow, money dance, toasts, and speeches), one of the most sweetest and memorable moment was when Etch-A-Sketch serenaded the Weekender. It was a surprise that we all had to keep away from her and it paid off! Etch-A-Sketch had emailed us requesting the bridal party to help him out singing "Sweet Caroline" (c/o Neil Diamond...OR, think the Fever Pitch movie...). He started off with his thank you list to the guests and then turned to his bride and said the first line from the song. Then he started singing it a cappella and her tears started flowing! During this time, some of the groomsmen were passing out a copy of the words to the song and by the time Etch got to the chorus, the entire ballroom joined in- it was awesome!

"Sweet Caroline...pum pum pum...good times never seemed so good! I've been inclined...pum pum pum...to believe they never would..." It was so touching to see her crying that it had ME crying...happy tears, of course!

One of the other most memorable moments of the wedding reception was seeing a lot of old familiar faces. It was a major San Francisco State and PACE reunion in da house! We had the "old crew" back together again! It's very rare that we are all together in one place and coming for the Weekender's special day made it even more special! Not to mention that the resident Doctor is getting married himself later on this year...congratualtions Dr. SI (that's "super-intern"...inside joke!)! AND, I just have to mention here that Dr. SI's former galpal and my good friend B is ALSO getting married later this year as well! So congratulations to you Bern! We all went down memory lane and whenever we do that, it's always a guarantee to end up laughing our asses off. Oh man...good times...good times. Here are a couple of pics:


The old crew back together again...minus yours truly. SOMEONE has to take this Kodak moment!


MnM and Bern...the next bride-to-be! Congrats girlfriend!


Gerber daisies for the bridemaids' floral bouquets- beautiful!


I love this pic c/o MsClaire...the church can be seen in the background as well as the lake. The sepia color just makes it all romantic, doesn't it?


Last, but not least...the happy couple (pic c/o MsClaire). Much love and congratulations as the two of you begin your life of love together!